Leonardo DiCaprio sought for surprising role as the Joker

WARNER Bros. are rumoured to be eyeing Hollywood A-lister Leonardo DiCaprio to play the Joker in their new origin film.

Suspicions arose after iconic American director Martin Scorsese was listed among the film's producers.

Scorsese has frequently collaborated with DiCaprio in the past where the two have made very successful films including, The Aviator, Gangs of New York, The Departed, Shutter Island and The Wolf of Wall Street.

It has been said Warner Brothers are hoping the duo's relationship will help seal the deal with DiCaprio.

The film itself will be a "gritty, realistic” crime drama set in the underworld of Gotham city.

There are whispers the storyline could totter all the way back to the Joker's childhood to explain how bullying shaped the villain's twisted psyche.

Jared Leto as the Joker a scene from Suicide Squad.Courtesy of Warner Bros. Picture

Warner Bros. kicked off their DC Extended Universe with Marvel Studios in 2013 after they released Man of Steel.

The DCEU production's past success has been relatively inconsistent. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad received generally poor reviews, while Wonder Woman was a massive hit.

The Joker's origin production will also enlist director Todd Phillips, the man behind The Hangover.

Warner Brother's choice of collaborators could be a bid to increase the film's potential to an award-worthy quality to rival that of Christopher Nolan's trilogy, The Dark Knight.

Scorsese's role as a producer is allegedly not set in stone and there has been no known offer to DiCaprio for the role of the Joker.

However, if the company's efforts to secure him as a producer are anything to go by, their expectations for the film are high.